Sleeve Design: Unknown

The Passing of Evil
 

Jerry Paris | USA | 1969

Loosely based on Mark McShane's 1961 novel The Passing of Evil, the film however switches the dingy back streets of South London for the dead-end glamour of late 60s Las Vegas. Jacqueline Bisset takes the lead as the partner-hopping gallivant, bringing far more sympathy and class to the rôle than the nihilistic ‘Gelina' portrayed in the book. More of a curiosity piece with an occasional visual joke thrown in for the attentive viewer, in the final analysis it infrequently rises above the conventional, desperately needing a sprinkling of grime for more impact.

Free-spirited nineteen year old brunette Christine Adams (Bisset), decides to leave her ordinary home town behind her and drive to her boyfriend in Los Angeles. After her car breaks down she ends up thumb-tripping, finally arriving in L.A. after a brief sojourn in Las Vegas with Danny Raymond (Corbett Monica), a television comedian.

She quickly tires of the relationship lifestyle and returns to Danny and the glamour and excitement of Vegas. Danny leaves for Maimi, and Christine gets a job as a Mirage showgirl, ultimately dating Jay (Christopher Stone; Love Me Deadly) — the lead singer of psychedelic rock band ‘The Ice Pack’ (complete with a pair of Plaster Caster groupies!).

Her fleeting hookup with Jay is soon history and Christine catches the eye of ex-pro ball player Tommy Marcott (Jim Brown), who’s hoping to capitalise on his fame plugging away in a Vegas hotel. After a whirlwind romance the pair gets married in a cheap wedding chapel, but their happiness will soon be shattered when they get acquainted with the sleazy Rosie Dekker (Ramon Bieri), a big-shot, big-mouthed Vegas property owner with mob connections…

 

 

“…she jumps from man to man, she is the Grasshopper” enticed the tagline when the film was released on a double-bill with John Trent's ‘U’ certificated The Only Out Way is Dead! to UK cinemas in 1971, through distributors Carthay Centre.

Passed with cuts for a BBFC ‘X’ theatrical certificate, the video re-titled version from Krypton Force (via their seldom used Crown Crest imprint) delivered the full uncut version — minus a few seconds of footage to remove the original The Grasshopper title.

aka : The Grasshopper

cast : Jacqueline Bisset, Jim Brown, Joseph Cotten, Corbett Monica, Christopher Stone, Ramon Bieri, Ed Flanders, William Callaway, Bill Calloway, Roger Garrett, Therese Baldwin, William H. Bassett, Kathalynn Turner, Stefanianna Christopherson, Marc Hannibal, David Ketchum